Overlapping car end for mine cars



June 2, 1953 R. E. JONES 2,640,441

OVERLAPPING CAR END FOR MINE CARS Filed may 11. 1948 s sheets-sheet 1 WWI f I l .'I

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? W11 1.4L at@ www5 June Z, 1953 R..E. JONES OVERLAPPING CAR END FOR MINE CARS Filed May 11.- 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 2, 1953 R. E. JONES OVERLAPPING CAR END FOR MINE 'CARS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 11. 194e /FBET E. JNES Patented June 2, 1953 OVERLAPPING CAR END FOR MINE CARS Robert E. Jones, Knoxville, Tenn., assignor to The Sanford Investment Company, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application May 11, 194s, serial No. 26,413

' 10 Claims. (Cl. 1415-364) Vthat if the overlapping portions of the cars extend throughout the width of the entire top of the car body at each end thereof, this is subject to certain objections: On a mine car of low height, it would be impossible to use a link and pin coupler between the cars because of the danger involved in trying to get beneath the overlapping sections of the car to reach the pin, which would make necessary the use of automatic couplers at a considerable increase'in the cost of the car. Where automatic couplers are used, these are of greater height than link and pin couplers, and with a lever bar across above such an automatic coupler, it would be impractical to use overlapping ends except for too much height of the car.

Furthermore, when the cars I overlap the full width of the ends thereof, the

slope of the end plate must be placed so low that.

it would interfere with the positioning and operation of the latch lever vmechanism. Moreover, the overlapping of the cars throughout the width of the ends thereof, would interfere with the travel of the cars around curves 01 on uneven track. Automatic couplings also require greater spacing of the ends of the cars, requiring higher car sides for the same overall train length.

An object of this invention is to improve the construction of cars to provide overlapping of the ends adjacent cars without the objections 1 encountered heretofore above, at greatly reduced cost relative thereto.

Another object is to make possible the comicotion of the cars by link and pin couplings without serious danger `encountered in service, and yet providing an overlapping of the end portions of the cars which will permit the loading of a train of cars continuously from a conveyor without danger of the lading falling into the space l between the cars.

These objects may be accomplished in one ernbodiment of this invention by the provisionof hopper extensions on the adjacent ends of the cars in positions to overlap each other to prevent the lading from falling between the cars as the latter pass under the discharge end of the con- 2 veyor, vbelt, or chute. The hopper extensions preferably should have straight lips so as to overlap throughout their width, but extend transversely of the car appreciably less than the entire width of the car body. Thismakes it pos'- sible for a workman to reach the coupling, if 4a manual coupling is used between the cars without the necessity for getting under any part of the cars which might be a hazardous undertaking. These hopper extensions preferably are arranged at different angles or dierent eleva-v tions on the respective opposite ends so that the hopper extension on one car will clear that on the adjacent end of the next car coupled on the train, thus providing an overlapping between the a continuous manner. Y

This embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a plurality of cars coupled together embodying this construction;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of one car taken substantially on the line 2 2 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of adjacent ends of cars coupled together and enlarged relative to Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view showing a modified form of hopper extension; and

Fig. 6 is an vend elevation similar to Fig. 2, showing the'modified form. Y

The invention is shown applied to a train of cars designated generally Aby the numeral I, adapted to travel on a track 2. The cars l are shown as ofthe character adapted ordinarily for the hauling of coal or other loose lading and may be ofthe drop bottom type, having an enlarged or wide body forming a receptacle 3, the sides' of which slope inwardly vto a central bottom opening normally closed `by one or more drop bottom doors generally designated at 4, in Figs. 1 and 3. The details of the drop bottom structure are not shown because this type of car is well-known in theart and is referred to merely as anv example of one type of car to which the invention may be cars which will facilitate the loading thereof in l applied. It may be applied also to other types` of cars, as end dump, rotary dump, etc. The drop bottom doors 4, normally are interconnected and are often released bya latch lever bar 5 2) applied to an end of the car.

The cars I` are shown as having combined end for detachable.connectionfof the cars together.A

A pin 8 removably secured to one of the bumpers f 3 5 is adapted to engage the link l, to hold the cars in coupled relation.

The car body 3 is provided with end walls S, that extend transversely of the body and are relatively wide at the top, frequently from six to seven feet wide. Each of these end walls is provided with a hopper extension designated respectively at I0 and li, at the respective opposite ends of each car i; Each hopper extension I and il has a bottom chute portion tapering downwardly into the receptacle 3, while the upper edge thereof is formed with a lip i2 or i3, preferably extending in a straight line transversely of the car parallel with the end Wall or extending between side Walls of the chute.

The upper edge of the chute It, is shown in Fig. 4, as substantially horizontal coincident with the horizontal plane through the top edge of the car body 3, while the upper edge of the hopper extension Il, inclines downwardly at an acute angle so arranged as to be overlapped by the chute lll, to clear the latter while allowing a continuous discharge from a conveyor, belt or chute,- as the cars pass under the discharge end thereof. Each hopper extension maybe` formedin one integral piece with the end wall 9 or formed sepae rately and attached over the opening in the end wall, as by welding, riveting, or other manner of fastening the hopper extension thereto.

As shown in Figs. l and 2, each hopper exten sion is of less width than the car body, but suiiicient to provide the overlapping hoppers or chutes that will direct the lading into the car from the discharge conveyor, belt or chute, being suiliciently wide, however, to receive the stream of coal being discharged therefrom. Nevertheless, the overlapping hopper extensions permit the use of a link and pin coupling between the cars, if

desired, which may bevcoupled or released by a manstanding between the cars without serious danger or injury, which would be involved if it were necessary for him to get under the car ends in releasing the coupling. This also permits the use ofthe conventional latch lever, if desired, for releasing-the doors, or other forms of door release devices as proposed heretofore for drop bottom mine cars.

Furthermore, it reduces appreciably the cost of manufacture of the cars as compared with straight overlapping hopper extensions that would extend from one side of the car body to the other at the end thereof, and would eliminate other difficulties which would be encountered in the use of such cars having wide hopper extensions, such as interference with each other at the outside edges when traveling around the curves or on uneven track.

With cars of six or seven feet wide, a width of cach hopper extension of approximately thirty-six inches, mentioned merely as an example and not by way of limitation, will be suiiicient to accommodate the stream of coal discharged from a conveyor, belt or chute, into the train of cars passing thereunder, and yet will permit a man standing upright between the cars to get access to the coupling device for inserting or removing the coupling pin, without making necessary the use of automatic couplers as would be required iijthe hopper extensions projected throughout the width of the car. If the coupling devices were offset` from the center of the car, it would be quite pos sible to move the hopper extensions to one side of the longitudinal center line of the car and to make it wider while still allowing the Workman to reach the coupler for the purpose of uncoupling .4 the cars. It is understood, however, that automatic couplers may be used with this invention, if desired, instead of the link and pin couplers described.

It is preferable that the chutes of the hopper extensions be directed toward the longitudinal center of the car, which may require some curving of the chutes, if these are offset from the center.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the car structure is substantially like that set forth above and shown in Figs. 1 to 4. However, the hopper extensions 28 and 2l are shown in overlapping relation substantially as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, but each has diverging opposite side walls designated at 22 in Fig. 6, which may be straight or curved transversely of the car. These diverging sides permit of more ready turning action of one car relative to another without interfering with each other in traveling over a curved track, as often encountered in service.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in certain embodiments thereof, it is recognized that variations and changes may be made therein without vdeparting from the invention, except as specified in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a car adapted to be connected in a train of cars for conveying loose lading, a car body comprising side and end walls, a hopper extension carried by each of the end walls externally thereof and extending lengthwise of the car each hopper extension having upright opposite sides and a downwardly inclined chute into the car body, the chute on one end hopper extension beine spaced vertically out of longitudinal alignment with the opposite end chute in position for over lapping relation with a complementary chute of a like car coupled therewith, each said hopper extension extending transversely of the body less `than the width of the end thereof.

2. In a car adapted to be connected in a train of cars for conveying loose lading, a car body comprising side and end walls, a hopper extension carried by each of the end walls externally thereof and extending lengthwise of the car each hopper extension having upright opposite sides and a downwardly inclined chute into the car body, the chute on one end hopper extension being spaced vertically out of longitudinal alignment with the opposite end chute in position for overlapping relation with a complementary chute of a like car coupled therewith, each said hopper extension extending transversely of the body less than the width of the end thereof and having a straight outer edge approximately parallel with the adjacent end wall.

3. In a car adapted to be connected in a train of cars for conveying loose lading, a carv body comprising side and end walls, a hopper lextension carried by each of the end walls externally thereof and extending lengthwise of the car each hopper extension having upright opposide sides and a downwardly inclined chute into the car body, the chute on one end hopper extension being spaced vertically out of longitudinal alignment with the opposite end chute in position for overlapping relation with a complementary chute of a like car coupled therewith, each said hopper from side to side of said extension,

4. In a car adapted to be connected in a. train of cars for conveying loose lading, `a car body comprising side and end walls, manually engaged 5 couplings at opposite ends of the body for connecting said car in said train of cars, a hopper extension carried by each of the end walls externally thereof and extending lengthwise of the car each hopper extension having upright 0pposite sides anda downwardly inclined chutey into the car body, the chute on one end hopper extension being spaced vertically out of longitudinal alignment with the o-pposite end chute in position for overlapping relation with a complementary chute of a like car coup-led therewith, each said hopper extension extending transversely of the body appreciably less than the width of the end thereof, said hopper extension being spaced from the couplings for access thereto.

5. In a car adapted to be connected in a train of cars for conveying loose lading, a car body comprising side and end walls, a hopper extension carried by each of the end walls externally thereof and extending lengthwise of the car each hopper extension having upright opposite sides and a downwardly inclined chute into the car body, the chute on one end hopper extension being out of longitudinal alignment with the opposite end chute in position for overlapping relation with a complementary chute of a like car coupled therewith, each said hopper extension extending transversely of the body less than the width of the end thereof with lateral sides thereof spaced inwardly from the outermost portions of the side walls 6. In a car adapted to be connected in a train of cars for conveying loose lading, a oar body comprising side and end walls, a hopper extension carried by each of the end walls externally thereof and extending lengthwise of the car each hopper extension having upright opposite sides and a downwardly inclined chute into the oar body, the chute on one end hopper extension being out of longitudinal alignment with the opposite end chute in position for overlapping relation wtih a complementary chute of a like car coupled therewith, each said hopper extension extending transversely of the body less than the width of the end thereof with lateral sides thereof spaced inwardly from the outermost portions of the side walls and having a straight outer edge.

'7. In a car adapted to be connected in a train of cars for conveying loose lading, a car body comprising side walls, at end walls extending transversely between the side walls, each of the end Walls having a notch therein, a hopper extension mounted on the wall at the notch and extending outwardly from the end wall lengthwise of the car and having a downwardly inclined chute through the notch into the car body, the chute on one end hopper extension being spaced vertically out of longitudinal alignment with the opposite end chute in position for overlapping relation with a complementary chute on a like car 6 coupled therewith, each said hopper extension extending transversely of the body appreciably 6 less than the width of the end wall and having a straight outer edge approximately parallel with the adjacent end wall.

8. A train of cars for conveying loose lading, comprising a plurality of car bodies having a coupling therebetween, said body having side and end walls, a hopper extension carried by each of the facing end walls of the train of cars externally thereof and extending lengthwise of the cars and having a downwardly inclined chute into one of the car bodies, the chute on one end hopper extension being spaced vertically out of longitudinal alignment with the opposite end chute in overlapping relation therewith, each of the hopper extensions extending transversely of the body appreciably less than the width of thee'nd thereof, said hopper extension being spaced from the couplings for access thereto.

9. A train of cars for conveying loose lading, comprising a plurality of car bodies havingv a coupling therebetween, said body having side and end walls, a hopper extension carried by each of the facing end walls of the train of cars externally thereof and extending lengthwise of the cars and having a downwardly inclined chute into ione of the car bodies, the chute on one end hopper extension being spaced vertically out of longitudinal alignment with the opposite end chute in overlapping relation therewith, each of the hopper extensions extending transversely of the body appreciably less than the width of the end thereof and having a straight outer edge extending parallel with the end wall on which the hopper extension is mounted, said hopper extensions being spaced from. the couplings for access thereto.

10. A train of cars for conveying loose lading, comprising a plurality of car bodies each having side and end walls, a hopper extension carried by each of the facing end walls of the train of cars externally thereof and extending lengthwise of the cars and having a downwardly inclined chute into one of the car bodies, the chute on one end hopper extension being spaced vertically out of longitudinal alignment with the opposite end chute in overlapping relation therewith, each of the hopper extensions extending transversely of the body appreciably less than the width of the end thereof, and manually engaged link and pin couplings between the cars connecting the cars together in the train, said hopper extensions being spaced from the couplings for access thereto.

ROBERT E. JONES.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,062,492 Monberg May 20, 1913 2,142,412 Ramsay Jan. 3, 1939 2,373,348 Schroeder et al. Apr. 10, 1945 

